A telecommunications service provider such as MCI typically owns and operates a large number of telecommunications switches and other equipment in the public switched telephone network. These telecommunications switches are generally physically located throughout the United States and the globe to achieve close proximity access to the telephone customers.
Within the telecommunications service provider there may be a central network operations site that has access to all the telecommunications equipment in the network owned by the service provider to perform support, monitoring and management services. These services include billing, and setting up or changing telephone services. The telecommunications equipment are further monitored and controlled by additional craft personnel who operate out of offices that are physically located closer to the equipment they manage. Other craft personnel may operate out of more remote sites such as their home offices. Typically, a modem-based RS232 ASCII protocol is used for the link up between X-terminals located at the remote sites to the telecommunications equipment. Although graphical user interfaces (GUIs) can be supported by this access scheme, it is excruciating slow because it operates on a bit map or pixel information basis. Thus, a very wide pipe, such as a T1 span, is required to enable even minimally adequate graphical update of screen information and display.
There is a further need to allow the telecommunications equipment manufacturer to have access to the telecommunications equipment for further product support. Generally, the customer support, field service personnel, and engineers do not have access to most or all of the telecommunications equipment operating in the field. This is highly desirable to provide the telecommunications service provider, and, ultimately, the telecommunications customers, the best and responsive maintenance and support possible.